Working With Big Folders

Allllllllllrighty then.

I know it's been awhile since this request was put in by David and I apologize
for taking so long.

When it was first put towards me, I looked in my inventory and realized
shit...I don't have any big folders. So Clyde hooked me up with a REKAT Sifu
last time I was in Atlanta and I needed to put in some time carrying it and
figuring things out.

First let me say that there may be some variation from design to design as
far as big folders go. Tip-up, tip-down and exactly how low or high they ride
in the pocket and where exactly you carry them, are all issues that affect the
draw, so it's important to work out the particulars.

Placement and drawstroke are the first things that have to be worked out
with any tool.

Most folders require some shifting in the hand to actuate the opening device
(thumb-stud, hole, disc, etc.), so it's important to realize that and
understand how it affects in-fight presentation. There are essentially four
generalized stages of a folder drawstroke:

Getting your hand on the folder.

Getting the folder out of your pocket and into the hand.
Positioning the folder so that you can hit the device that opens the blade.
Getting into a grip that you can fight with.

Now these are generalized so depending on the design you may or may not
have all these steps. Nonetheless we should understand the principles and
realize that pulling a folder out in-fight can be tenuous. That's why it's
important to understand the particulars of each tool's drawstroke. You may
be able to get a folder in hand, but not be able to shift your grip to open it if
under barrage or in a FUT. So looking at the grip that is initially established,
we might have to fight with the tool closed, and it's important to utilize the
tool efficiently in that grip.

So let's look at the drawstroke I worked out for the Sifu.

We'll begin with the folder in the pocket.

I prefer running folders in the hip-thigh crease diagonally instead of against

the seam of the trousers. I get more purchase on the handle this way with
my thumb and fingers. That's going to vary with the trousers though, so
understand that.

I'll go into the pocket, leading with my thumb and then close my fingers
around the clip. Don't bind the clip into the trousers and make it more
difficult to pull out. This also indexes the inside of my palm on the pommel of
the handle.
The folder is withdrawn...

And the knife is out.

Now looking at this grip we can see that there's more of the folder that
protrudes from the thumb side of my hand than the edge. Not really ideal for
pikal (bottom edge of hand) application. But it does work well for the same
way that I use a sap and has a bit of weight to it. So if I have to use this
folder closed after drawing it because I can't hit the thumb stud, this is how
I'll use it, striking with the sides and edges. See the PSP on sap use for more
reference.
To get the folder open, I'll shift my fingers and thumb upwards to get on the
thumb stud...

Thumb it open...
And roll it into a good locked wrist fighting grip.

Now as far as application goes I could have squared off with one of my narcs
at range, stuck a knife in his hand and done blade to blade work. Stills really
can't convey footwork and timing that well and more importantly there's no
context as to how the fight got there in the first place.
So we're going to start this off as a planned robbery scenario. Bad guys
aren't stupid and tend to stack the odds in their favor. This very scenario I've
depicted is common.

I'm walking back to my car in a parking lot and some mope behind me starts
calling "Hey man... hey buddy"

I ignore him initially but he keeps "Hey man-ing" me and closes the gap. At
this point I turn mid-stride and give him the universal "stop palm" and tell
him to keep his distance.
What I don't realize because my S'Narc sense is turned off is that he is just
window dressing. His job is actually to distract me from baddie #2 who is
lurking around the front of a vehicle in a blind spot to me. He will also act as
a look-out for the police after #2 makes the initial assault and gets the
goods. They will then both hop in their car and haul ass. Quick and efficient.
I've walked into what is essentially an area ambush.

Baddie #1 closes the gap a bit more and I set my base by getting the strong
side back. I tell #1 to fuck off more forcefully and start creeping my hand to
my waist where my equipment is. Still haven't picked up #2 yet.
I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and default to the vertical
elbow shield.

Baddie 2 is armed with a box cutter, which of course I didn't see, because all
I caught was movement. He lays open the outside of my forearm pretty
good. Nasty wound but it has to be managed. No time to cry.
His momentum carries him forward and down. I open up his line with the off-
hand...

drive forward with the chin-jab...

and smash his head into the bed of the truck. Not as good as smashing it flat
into the concrete but I'm less than ideal right now.

Since I have him rattled I'll get the weapon hand in both of mine and smash
it into the side of the truck.
Follow that with an edge of hand blow...

And an elbow.
Following our principle of in-fight weapon's access (see PSP 8), I'll control the
limb that's closest to the tool that I want to access. In this case the Sifu.

And he grabs my head...

...as I get the folder out in hand. No time to shift around trying to get where
I can access the stud.

So I hit him with it, just like I would a sap. Not the best shot but really all I
have right now.
Baddie #1 realizes this isn't going as planned and transitions from look-out
to back-up mode. He pulls out a big-ass wrench.

I drive #2 into #1 and this buys me a split second to grip shift and get on
the stud opening the folder.
#1 has to get over #2 to get to me. I've managed to get the knife open and
into a good locked wrist grip.

Now we're in a ranged confrontation with both parties armed. Him with a big-
ass wrench, me with a big-ass knife.
He swings in a wide arc and I drive forward (stepping into it with my left
foot), striking him in the face with a twisting palm strike. I angle at about
forty five degrees forward, into him when I do this, and stay low.

I encircle and control the wrench arm and bury six inches in his gut.
I drive him back forward after getting the blade out of him and smash his
head into the bed of the truck.

However #2 has recovered from his pummelling and has picked the
boxcutter back up.
I drive low into #1 with the horizontal elbow into his hip-groin line, stepping
behind and through him. This upsets his base and takes him off his feet.
You'll see stuff like this quite a bit in Harimau Silat.

This forces #2 to scramble over #1 and buys me some range.

Now...again we're in a ranged confrontation. Small edged thingie vs. big
edged thingie. We're both battered and wounded at this point and I've put
one down. I've got range and reach. As long as he can't close quicker than I
can zone, I have the advantage of tool length.

He gives me a forehand which I pick up on the outside with a locked-wrist,

whipping elbow snap-cut. Different than the whipping wrist variety. I'll
cover that stuff when I do the Conventional Edge Methods video series, so
you'll have to wait.
Another angle on the same attack.
He reacts by snapping his wounded arm back and retracting his body a bit. I
follow with a straight thrust to the throat, slightly in quartata, which takes
care of baddie #2.

That's it for this one. Not the way...just a way.

Enjoy!
SN

Originally posted by Southnarc of ShivWorks and Total Protection Interactive. This PDF file is created to
aid students of self protection, as a tribute to those who wrote the content and is in no way a challenge to
the original author. The format of this document is protected by a Creative Commons Licence. Any
derivative works must give attribution to the original author(s) of the content. The copyright for the
content is held by the original author. I have edited spelling and grammar only.

James Marwood